Thousands of demonstrators across Europe gathered on February 1, 2026, to express solidarity with Palestine and protest Israel’s continued attacks on Gaza despite a ceasefire. Protesters called on European governments to stop selling weapons to Israel, according to Anadolu Agency.

In the United Kingdom, several thousand pro-Palestinian demonstrators assembled at London’s Russell Square and marched toward Whitehall, home to the Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing Street. They condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, accused it of violating the ceasefire, and criticized the British government for continuing arms exports to Israel. British MPs Zarah Sultana and John McDonnell joined the march. Protesters carried Palestinian flags and placards, urging British authorities and companies to withdraw support for Israel’s actions.

In Sweden, hundreds gathered at Stockholm’s Odenplan Square to protest Israel’s attacks on Gaza and restrictions on humanitarian aid. Organizers from several civic groups accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire that began on October 10, 2025, and urged the Swedish government to end arms sales to Israel. Since the ceasefire began, 524 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations.

At least 125 people were killed in a series of clashes between separatist groups and security forces in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan. According to a report by Geo News, 15 security personnel and 18 civilians were killed in coordinated attacks by separatists on January 31, while security forces claimed to have killed 92 militants in subsequent clearance operations. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that the attacks targeted multiple areas including Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar, and Pasni.

The ISPR described the attackers as members of an India-backed group called “Fitna al-Hindustan,” alleging that the assaults aimed to disrupt normal life and hinder development activities in Balochistan. Security forces reported recovering large quantities of weapons and explosives during the operations. The banned separatist organization Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks, asserting that it had killed more than fifty security personnel.

Following the violence, security alerts were heightened across the province as tensions rose sharply in Balochistan.

China has expanded its intelligence and defense cooperation with Iran to counter Israeli Mossad infiltration following the June 2025 Israeli attacks that exposed major gaps in Iran’s air defense systems. Beijing views Mossad’s penetration of Iran’s security and intelligence networks as a direct threat to its strategic interests in the Middle East. In response, China has begun assisting Tehran in identifying and arresting active Mossad agents, strengthening Iran’s cyber defenses, and supplying advanced surveillance satellites and radar systems.

Reports indicate that China and Russia are helping Iran investigate how Israeli agents accessed sensitive government databases. Beijing is also supporting Iran’s shift from Western GPS systems to China’s Beidou navigation network to reduce vulnerability to hacking. Under its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), China has prioritized cyber and artificial intelligence cooperation to protect Iran’s digital sovereignty from Israeli and American interference.

China’s broader strategy includes rebuilding Iran’s missile defense, transferring key rocket fuel and guidance technologies, and promoting intelligence coordination through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Beijing considers these steps essential to maintaining regional stability and safeguarding its Belt and Road Initiative interests.

Khalil al-Hayya, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, warned that the continuation of Israeli attacks in Gaza after the ceasefire breach would lead to dire consequences. His statement came in response to Saturday’s Israeli airstrikes that killed 37 Palestinians, according to TRT World. Al-Hayya condemned the attacks as being carried out under false pretenses and said he had held discussions with mediators and unnamed international parties following the incident.

Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire and urged mediators to ensure that the occupying power fulfills its obligations and refrains from further violations. The group also blamed Israel for failing to resolve the plight of Palestinians trapped in tunnels in southern Gaza’s Rafah area. After the October 10 ceasefire, many Palestinians remained stranded there, as Israel reportedly refused to allow their departure despite mediation efforts.

The report added that U.S. President Donald Trump announced in mid-January that the second phase of his 20-point ceasefire plan had begun, but unresolved issues, including those involving trapped individuals, remain pending.

Israel has decided to partially reopen the Rafah border crossing between the war-torn Gaza Strip and Egypt after a prolonged closure. Israeli authorities announced that starting Sunday, the crossing will allow limited movement of people following sustained pressure from humanitarian organizations. The reopening comes even as violence continues in Gaza, where Israeli airstrikes on Saturday reportedly killed dozens, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense. The Israeli military said the strikes were in response to ceasefire violations.

The Rafah crossing is a vital entry and exit point for Gaza’s residents and humanitarian aid. It was seized by Israeli forces in May 2024 during the ongoing conflict with Hamas and has remained mostly closed since then, except for a brief reopening in early 2025. Israel had previously stated it would not reopen the crossing until the body of its last hostage, Ran Givili, was recovered; his remains were found and buried earlier this week.

According to Israel’s COGAT agency, the crossing will reopen under EU supervision and coordination with Egypt, though the number of people allowed to cross remains unclear.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Al Thani met with Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in Tehran on Saturday. The meeting focused on regional developments and efforts to reduce tensions at a time when concerns are rising over a possible U.S. attack on Iran.

In a statement released the same day, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the country supports any initiative aimed at de-escalation and achieving peaceful solutions that contribute to regional security and stability. The Qatari Prime Minister emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to protect the region’s people from war and reiterated Doha’s commitment to working diplomatically with friendly and brotherly nations.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News that Gulf allies had not been informed about Washington’s plans regarding Iran, saying, “We cannot tell them the plan.”

The non-political service organization Hafezzi Charitable Society of Bangladesh (HCSB) is conducting coordinated humanitarian operations across Bangladesh, Gaza, and remote areas of Sudan. The activities include providing healthcare, food, clean water, emergency medical support, medical camps, assistance for the injured and sick, distribution of essential medicines, and winter protection materials. The organization’s published videos and visual updates include dates and times, allowing verification of field activities. In Gaza, HCSB’s services are being carried out in six hospitals with approval from the local health ministry.

According to available information, HCSB continues to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian aid from Bangladesh and Europe through Egypt to Gaza and Sudan with the support of well-wishers at home and abroad. The initiative has been praised by the Palestinian ambassador to Egypt, the Egyptian Red Crescent, Egyptian Human Rights Organization, scholars from Al-Azhar University, and human rights and legal experts from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, as well as representatives of the Egypt Youth Circle.

HCSB Director Muhammad Raj stated that the organization regularly publishes photos, videos, and brief reports to maintain transparency and provide donors and the public with real-time updates on progress.

US President Donald Trump said Washington has not shared its plans on the Iran issue with Gulf allies. Speaking to Fox News on Saturday, he stated that the United States cannot disclose its strategy. Trump added that Iran is in communication with the US, and the outcome of those talks remains uncertain.

His remarks were later posted on the social media platform X, where he revealed that Washington is sending a “massive naval fleet” toward the region. According to Trump, this deployment is larger than the force sent before a previous US military operation in Venezuela, during which President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were detained.

Trump acknowledged that discussions with Tehran are ongoing but said it is unclear what results they will yield. He recalled that during earlier talks, Iran’s nuclear program had to be halted by the US, but that effort was unsuccessful, prompting alternative measures.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have reached a new peak, with Iranian authorities confirming preparations for thousands of graves near Tehran. According to the semi-official Mehr News Agency, the graves are being dug at Behesht-e Zahra, the capital’s largest cemetery, as a precautionary measure in anticipation of a potential military conflict. Iranian officials described the move as part of readiness efforts should U.S. attacks result in casualties.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of possible military action against Iran if it fails to halt its nuclear program and continues suppressing anti-government protests. A U.S. strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln is reportedly moving toward Iranian waters. Trump stated that while the United States does not seek war, it will act if compelled by circumstances.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and civilian in nature, while keeping the door open for fair and balanced dialogue. The country has also added around one thousand new tactical drones to its forces, and reports of mysterious explosions in Tehran have heightened public anxiety. Analysts warn that the mutual threats and military buildup could destabilize the Middle East further.

At least 37 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across several areas of the Gaza Strip within the past 24 hours, despite a ceasefire being in effect. Anadolu Agency reported on Saturday that the dead included women, children, and seven members of a single family. Gaza’s Civil Defense said the attacks began early Saturday, killing at least 32 people and injuring many others.

Medical sources confirmed that five people, including three children and two women, were killed when an apartment building was hit in Gaza City’s Rimal area. In Khan Younis, seven members of one family died when a tent sheltering displaced people was struck. Witnesses also reported injuries from a strike on a residential building in Gaza City’s Al-Tuffah area. Additional airstrikes were carried out in Al-Jalla Street and the Bureij refugee camp, though casualties there were not immediately known.

According to Anadolu’s correspondent, Israeli forces had issued evacuation warnings before striking an administrative building at the Gaith camp near Al-Ribat College in Khan Younis, which housed hundreds of displaced people.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has called on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to conduct its announced two-day live-fire naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz safely and professionally. In a statement released on Friday, CENTCOM acknowledged Iran’s right to operate in international airspace and waters but warned that any unsafe or unprofessional behavior could have serious consequences.

CENTCOM emphasized that unsafe actions near US forces, regional partners, or commercial vessels increase the risk of conflict, tension, and instability. The command stated it remains prepared to ensure the safety of US personnel, ships, and aircraft operating in the Middle East. It also declared that it would not tolerate unsafe maneuvers by the IRGC, including low or armed overflights of US military assets, high-speed approaches toward US ships, or pointing weapons at US forces.

According to CENTCOM, the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway vital to regional economic prosperity, with about 100 commercial vessels passing through daily.

Israeli forces launched extensive airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Saturday, resulting in at least 19 deaths, according to medical sources cited by Al Jazeera. The attacks began at dawn and targeted multiple areas, including Khan Younis and Gaza City. In the northwest of Khan Younis, an airstrike hit a tent sheltering displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area. In Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, a police headquarters was bombed, killing at least seven people.

Earlier reports indicated that five people were killed in central Gaza and seven in the southern Al-Mawasi area. The information was confirmed by medical sources at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, who relayed details to Al Jazeera Arabic. The strikes mark another escalation in violence in the densely populated enclave, where repeated bombardments have caused significant civilian casualties.

The report did not include official statements from Israeli authorities or details on the intended targets beyond those described by local sources.

At least 12 Palestinians, half of them children, were killed early Saturday in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, according to reports. In the northwest of Khan Younis, an Israeli airstrike hit a tent sheltering displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area, killing at least seven, including three children. Their bodies were taken to Nasser Medical Complex. In Gaza City, emergency services reported that another airstrike on an apartment building in the western Rimal neighborhood killed at least five people, including three children, while eight others were injured in a separate bombing in the Daraj area.

The attacks came a day before Israel announced it would reopen the Rafah crossing on Sunday. Gaza’s government media office stated that since a ceasefire brokered by the United States took effect on October 10, at least 524 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces.

The renewed strikes highlight ongoing tensions in Gaza despite the declared ceasefire, raising concerns about civilian safety and the fragile humanitarian situation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to temporarily halt attacks on Kyiv and surrounding areas at the request of US President Donald Trump. The Kremlin announced on Friday that the pause will remain in effect until Sunday. According to reports from Kyiv, Trump made the personal appeal due to fears of a humanitarian crisis caused by an intense cold wave. The Kremlin said the request was part of US efforts to advance mediation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Continuous Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have left many parts of Kyiv without heating. Weather forecasts predict temperatures could drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius in the coming days, worsening the crisis. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump asked Putin to suspend attacks until February 1 to create a favorable environment for peace talks, though neither Moscow nor Washington specified when the request was made.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Trump’s announcement, saying Ukraine would refrain from retaliatory strikes if Russia halts attacks on its energy facilities. He added that the countdown for the one-week pause had already begun and that the next steps depend on Ukraine’s partners, particularly the United States.

Iran announced on Sunday that it will conduct a two-day naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, including live-fire drills, amid ongoing tensions with the United States. The announcement prompted a stern warning from the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which cautioned Tehran against any unsafe actions near American warships.

Washington stated that it would not tolerate any unsafe behavior such as Iranian drones or aircraft flying over US vessels or high-speed Iranian boats provoking collisions. The warning came as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that his country was ready for a “fair and proper” negotiation but rejected President Trump’s main demands, making clear that Iran’s defense strategy and missile program were non-negotiable.

The exchange underscores the continuing strain between Tehran and Washington, with both sides signaling firmness over military and strategic issues in the Gulf region.